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Mini keyboard for the propeller — Parallax Forums

Mini keyboard for the propeller

Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
edited 2008-05-21 03:43 in Propeller 1
I am looking for a mini keyboard for the propeller.
Dimensions smaller than 10.5x 7.
Anybody using one this small ?

Rob7

Comments

  • boeboyboeboy Posts: 301
    edited 2008-04-22 15:15
    This might work http://www.weirdstuff.com/cgi-bin/item/24308.

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    My computer made with the propeller, http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=630466
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,815
    edited 2008-04-22 17:13
    We have some little ones about that size that came with our Agilent oscilloscopes (that run Windows).· I've tried to find these for sale somewhere without any luck...

    There is a really small keypad (not a keyboard) in this thread:
    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=702473

    Hitt appears to be selling them:
    http://www.hittconsulting.com/miscforsale.html

    ·
  • vampyrevampyre Posts: 146
    edited 2008-04-23 06:47
    I havn't yet played with it but i plan to hack the xbox 360 chatpad to work with the prop soon.
    the chatpad has a programmable PIC inside it from what i hear
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2008-04-23 07:17
    I may be wrong, but I seem to recall that the XBox360 uses USB interface. They may have a different plug than the standard USB, but they are certainly not a PS2 interface.

    The place to find out is Wikipedia's article on 'Linux for XBox'. There is a similar one of PlayStation.

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    PLEASE CONSIDER the following:

    Do you want a quickly operational black box solution or the knowledge included therein?······
    ···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL)Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL) Posts: 1,720
    edited 2008-04-23 12:00
    Pictures: Xbox 360 Chatpad Disassembly

    nuxx.net/gallery/v/acquired_stuff/xbox_360_chatpad/

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    Aka: CosmicBob
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-04-23 13:48
    CosmicBob,

    Very nice !, Did you get the keyboard to function with the propeller?
    I like that keyboard, It looks to be the best candidate I have seen so far. I would remove the outer housing and just use the keyboard.

    Rob7

    Post Edited (Rob7) : 4/23/2008 2:07:18 PM GMT
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,815
    edited 2008-04-23 14:43
    Looks good, but really not that much different in size than the palm keypad referenced above, right? Probably easier to interface with that Palm one too...
  • vampyrevampyre Posts: 146
    edited 2008-04-24 09:28
    the palm keyboard would be easier i'm guessing and probably the better solution.
    the only reason i still want to use the chatpad is because its backlit, its sexier, its easily available (i can pick one up at walmart cheap). yes i think its usb but once u flash the PIC with your own code its what ever u want it to be.

    here's where someone hacked a chatpad to work with a PSP
    http://forums.ps2dev.org/viewtopic.php?t=9804
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2008-04-24 13:25
    Do I see four wires? IF one is +5v, one is GND, and the other two are + and - you might determine if it is USB by putting the + and - on a scope. The voltage levels would be below 0.6 volts and BAUD rates would be much higher than PS2 or TTL serial. If it is PS2 or TTL serial, you would have to provide a CLK to one wire and the other would be DATA.

    It is a very nice piece of hardware and would really be nice with the Propeller, but I still believe that it is USB only. How does one identify the PIC chip and change over i/o?

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    PLEASE CONSIDER the following:

    Do you want a quickly operational black box solution or the knowledge included therein?······
    ···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • hippyhippy Posts: 1,981
    edited 2008-04-24 15:01
    Kramer said...
    It is a very nice piece of hardware and would really be nice with the Propeller, but I still believe that it is USB only. How does one identify the PIC chip and change over i/o?

    The PICmicro is identified in the earlier links to photos - 16F883. Re-flashing shouldn't be that hard.

    The 16F883 doesn't have USB on-chip so it seems unlikely the keypad uses USB. Not impossible but it would seem to be pointless extra cost and require a USB hub in the handset. More likely the handset ( if that uses USB ) can take button pushes and keypad data when connected and turn that into USB.

    Re-coding would require decoding the circuit and choosing an I/O pin to transmit on. Presumably for the PSP interface much of that work has already been done.

    Four wires is just as likely +V, 0V, TX and RX. If its protocol can be identified and is manageable there shouldn't be any need to re-program.

    Post Edited (hippy) : 4/24/2008 3:07:11 PM GMT
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2008-04-25 20:06
    The Freedom mini keyboard is rather small...

    http://freedominput.com/site/index.php

    You just need a BT module to connect to it...

    *Sigh* Yet another project I never seems to have the time to begin on...
    (I have the EmbeddedBlue module somewhere among all the boxes in the room which will one day become my 'office' )

    Maybe an idea for all the Hydra users out there?
    Or in car computers... or home automation... or...

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  • Fred HawkinsFred Hawkins Posts: 997
    edited 2008-04-25 21:11
    I bought on Ebay three parts-only TI 99/4a consoles for their keyboards, which measure about 8.5 x 4 inches. The consoles were a buck each, shipping was $7 each
    Maybe I should have used Ebay's Want it Now to ask just for keyboards. They were a big surplus item at one time and are probably still sitting around.

    I haven't gotten around to working with these yet, but as I recall, the keyboard interface is 14 leads wide.

    Ebay has one for sale in buy it now for $30 plus shipping. But the listing's photograph might be useful.

    keyboard matrix: http://www.ntua.gr/electronics/hwb/connector/userinput/key_ti_99_4a.html·(ain't the internet grand?)

    Post Edited (Fred Hawkins) : 4/25/2008 9:39:06 PM GMT
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-04-26 03:18
    It has taken some time, however after considering all the input and time required for extra work if needed (creating drivers, wiring or other unforeseen circumstance's.
    I have decided on a Mini-Keyboard I found on e-Bay.
    Here's the link.
    http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-Mini-2-0-77-Keys-Keyboard-Notebook-Desktop-Laptop_W0QQitemZ270231435991QQihZ017QQcategoryZ4706QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    I feel that this may be the best fit for my project. It has already shipped, Well see ?
    Thanks guy's for all the great info !
    Rob7

    Post Edited (Rob7) : 4/26/2008 3:27:14 AM GMT
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2008-05-21 03:36
    Fred Hawkins said...
    I bought on Ebay three parts-only TI 99/4a consoles for their keyboards, which measure about 8.5 x 4 inches. The consoles were a buck each, shipping was $7 each
    Maybe I should have used Ebay's Want it Now to ask just for keyboards. They were a big surplus item at one time and are probably still sitting around.

    I haven't gotten around to working with these yet, but as I recall, the keyboard interface is 14 leads wide.

    keyboard matrix: http://www.ntua.gr/electronics/hwb/connector/userinput/key_ti_99_4a.html (ain't the internet grand?)

    Fred,

    Just opened up one of my dead TI-99A units.. What a keyboard! Not only small, and industrially well built!
    Did you get around to interfacing one of these yet?

    OT: Was thinking that perhaps the sound chip might also be interesting on the Prop.
    (can't identify it on this board, must have a different part number than I'm expecting)

    OBC

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  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2008-05-21 03:43
    Jeff,

    Could u update the info on your meeting... can't find it.

    Rich
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